LAKE 20, ENTERPRISE 27
When the rain came Friday afternoon, Lake football coach Tate Hanna told his team that whoever won the turnover battle would win the game against Enterprise.
That turned out to be true for Lake, who had four first-half fumbles that let Enterprise stay close.
The Bulldogs made the Hornets pay with three second-half touchdowns to take a 27-20 win in the season opener for both teams.
Lake falls to 0-1 on the season and will play Scott County rival Sebastopol this week.
Just like last year, Hanna said it was another game the Hornets could have won.
“It was a tough first game, like the last couple of games we have had with them,” Hanna said. “They are a very well-coached team and battle for the whole game. We had opportunities but turned the ball over a lot. I thought whoever won the turnover battle would win they did. We had too many fumbles and too many dropped passes.We have to clean those things up. The only thing that worries me is the offensive line and the running game. At the end of a game like that, we have to control the game and the temp and the only way you are going to be able to do that is by running the football.”
Lake got the ball to start the game and put together an eight-play drive but fumbled on the Enterprise 17 to stop the drive. But Lake got the ball back five plays later when Ny’Zavion McClendon recovered an Enterprise fumble.
Lake then gave the ball right back two plays later but forced an Enterprise punt. But Lake fumbled that punt and gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Lake 20. The Bulldogs made them pay this time, going20 yards in six plays, scoring on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. The PAT was good and Enterprise led 7-0.
After a Lake punt, Kentavious Gray intercepted an Enterprise pass the Hornets then got on the scoreboard as Griffin Boles hit Jhaqwon Slack on a 42-yard touchdown pass. The PAT was blocked and Enterprise held a 7-6 lead.
The Hornets got another break when they recovered the ensuing kick. Three plays later, Boles scored on a 34-yard quarterback keeper. Boles also ran in the two-point conversion and Lake led 14-7.
The Hornets got another possession in the first half but lost another fumble and led 14-7 at the half.
“We had too many fumbles,” Hanna said. “We were moving the ball on the first drive and fumbled the ball. I think it would have been a different game. But the fumbles let Enterprise hang around and they are built for a four-quarter game early in the season. I felt like we got tired and let the mentality of the game get to us. I like the effort we gave, we were just on the field too much on defense. And then we had too many drops. We may be a passing team but you can’t have that many drops.”
In the second half, the two teams traded punts to start the half. Enterprise struck first as they went 60 yards in six plays. After a 33-yard run to the Lake 1, Enterprise snuck the ball in for a 1-yard TD. The PAT failed and Lake led 14-13.
The Hornets answered as they went 51 yards in five plays as Jamarrion Blaylock scored on a 20-yard run. The PAT was good and Lake led 20-13 in the middle of the third quarter.
Enterprise then responded with a nine-play, 60-yard drive and scored on a 20-yard run early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 20-20.
Lake punted on its next two possessions before Enterprise put together an 11-play, 67-yard drive, scoring on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. The PAT was good for the final margin of 27-0.
The Hornets had 142 yards rushing and 126 passing for 268 yards of total offense. Boles had 60 yards rushing on seven carries while Blaylcok had 59 yards on 14 carries while Jamarii Spivey had 23 yards on six carries. Boles was 9-of-23 passing for 126 yards. Jhaqwon Slack led the receivers with three catches for 59 yards while six other receivers all had one catch.
On defense, Jamarrion Blaylock had 13.5 tackles with two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Ny’Zavion McClendon also had 12 tackles with five tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Jamarii Spivey and J.D. Gibson each had nine tackles while Keshun Anderson had seven tackles and two tackles for loss. Austin Clark had four tackles with three tackles for loss and a sack while Kentavious Gray had 3.5 tackles an an interception. David Morehead had 3.5 tackles while Javarius Culpepper had 2.5 tackles and two tackles for loss. Mitez Ickom and Jhaqwon Slack each had 2.5 tackles while Benjamin Morehead had a fumble recovery.
